Improvement in locomotive car-wheels



dnitnl Stuten @anni otitis.

JOHNBLAKE TARE., 0Fl FAIRHAVEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

Y Lette/rs Patent No. 98,895, dated January 18, 1870; anteda'ted January l5, `1870.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Pat-ent and xialing part of the same.

To all whom 'it mfr/y concern f Be it known that I, J onsr BLAKE TARE, of Fairhaven, in the county of Bristol, and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and improved Locomotive Driving-'Wheel; andl do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, in which--V Figure- 1 is a vertical central section through a press and mould adapted for the production ofthe improved drivers, showing the several parts in the positions which they occupy, while subjecting themetal in the mould to pressure. l Figure is a diametrical section through the upper section ofthe mould. v Figure 3 is a diametri'ca'l section through the intermediate section of the mould. Figure 4 is a diametrical section through the bottom section of the mould.

Figure 5 is `a diametrical section through the mould and its core, when these parts are brought together, ready to receive the melted metal.

Figure 6 is a top view of the upper section of the mould. ,l

Figures 7, 8, 9, 10 'show the improved product. l

Similar letters of Yreference indicate corresponding partsin the several figures.

This invention consists in a compressed cast-metal locomotive driving-wheel, produced by subjecting the metal--while in a liquid state andl in the mould which `gives to it the desired form-to such a degree of pres- "sure as will expel the gases from the 'met-al, and compel it to perfectly ll 'every part of 'the mould, 'and at the same time render the metal homogeneous in density and toughness, and free from pores, flaws, or other imperfections, as will be hereinafter explained.

To enable others skilled-in the art to understand my invention, I will describe one practical mode of pro-v ducing the locomotive-driver.

The wheel to which l have referenceis compos-ed of the following parts, to wit, the tread M, the balance O, the web or spokes N or N', the hub p, and the crank s, all of which parts 1 am enabled, by my process, to 'produce at one operation of casting and of one ,solid piece.

The mode in which I have been successful in producing the improved locomotive-drivers consists of three principal parts, J, K, and L, with a central core, H', for producing a hole through thecentre or hub p of the wheel.

These sections of mould, as well as the core, are composed in part of metal and in part of a refractory compound. The metal portions are designed to resist the great pressure to `which they are vsubjected during the process of making wheels, andthe refractorysubstance is designed to prevent thetsuxfaces, which give form to'the wheels, and which are exposed to intense heat, from adhering to the castings.V

v The bottom section L of the monldconsists of a flat bed-plate,-upon which is bolted arin g, -as shown in ugs. 1,4, and 5. y

Within this ring-portion is the refractory substance' g2, the upper surface of which is adapted to produce the inner faceand a .portion of the flange of the wheel. This substance 1121's firmly taniped within the ring, upon a pattern of properform, before the bottomplate is secured `to the ring. l

The intermediate section.. K of the mould is corn,- -pos'ed of a cylindrical ring and a flange ring, j, and a refractory lining, gl, which latter is intended to produce the tread and outer portion of theange of the wheel. The ange f is bolted upon the ring after the substance g1 has been rammed therein, and the pattern removed, andthis flange extends inward, so as to resist any upward pressure'against, and. protect the lining g1.

The bottom edge of this mould-section K is made to fit Vsnugly upon the rabbeted upper edge of the v4mould-,section L, so that when these two sections are brought together, there shall be no lateral displace- 'ment of either one. i

The upper section J of tbemould consists of acircular rim, a central hub, having a hole, t', through it, land radial spokes h h. This section J is filled` with, and its bottom surface formed by the refractory substance g, which surface produces the outer face of the wheel. The object ofthe radial spokes le is tohold.

the substance y firmly within the rim, and the `object of the downwardlyflaring holea' is to allow metal to be poured into the mould-chamber, when the sections ot` the mould are brought together, as shown in lig. 5. The diameter of this upper section J should be slightly smaller; than the inner -diameter of the angefring f,

so that as this section descends into the intermediateV section K, to condense the metal in the mould, an annular space will be left between said sections J K, o'f sufficient size to allowa free escape of gas. p

This upper section J is also constructed with bevelled or overhanging portions e c upon its upper surface, by which this section can be readily applied to a follower, I, the edges of which are also `bevelled to receive between them the portions c c, as clearly shown in iig. 1.

i This follower I has a Hat bottom face, which covers thespace between the radial spokes h, of mould-section J, and, thus serves as a backing, to prevent the mould-substance g froinbeing forced upward during the act of condensing the metal in the mould.

The hole j through the centre of the follower I is ydesigned to allow the core `H' to pass freely through it, and the hole e through this followerv'is an ingate or pouring-hole, and which should register with the hole e', through section J, when this section is properly secured to his follower, as shown in iig. 1.

On top o the` follower I is a slide, d, which is held between dovetail guides, and -so arranged with referton.

ing-boxes applied to head G, and are firmly secured,

' rammed very hard into them.

. ,ence to the ingate e', that when the mould is filled with melted metal, the slide can be readily driven over said ingate, so as to cut off the surplus metal and close the ingate.

The'core H', which leavesa hole through the central hub of the 4wheel when cast, conssts of a core with two flanges, b b, secured to'or formed on it at proper distance apart, between which flanges this core is coated with a refractory substance or compound, a, to prevent the core from being destroyed by the heat of the met-al poured into the mould. This core H is on the lower end of a piston-rod, H, t-he piston G 0f which works up and down in a cylinder, F, that is bolted stronglyto the bottom of a head-plate,'G, of

the press-frame, as shown in fig. 1.

On top of the head-plate C is a cylinder, D, of cousiderably larger diameter than the cylinder F, and

within this cylinder D works a piston, E, to which three rods, 1*", are firmly secured, at regular distances apart, and at equal distances from the axis of the pis- These rods F pass down through suitable stuifat their lower ends, to the follower I, so that this fol- `lower will rise and descend with said piston E. The

head-plate C of' the press is bolted down securely upon pillars B, which rise perpendicular-ly from, and are secured firmly to the bed or foundation A, as shown in fig. 1.

The pistons E and G, in cylinders D and F, are moved up and down by means of hydrostatic pressure, for which purpose the said cylinders should communicate in a suitable manner with one or more hydrostatic or forcing-pumps, and should also be applied with'means for allowing, the fluid to escape from the chamber, on the sides ofthe pistons opposite to those sides upon which pressure is applied tomove them.

Instead of hydrostatic-pressure to move the corc and follower, these part-s may be operated by means of screw-power, substantially as described in my Let- 'ters Iatent of the United States, numbered 57,644.

In the selection of' a protecting coating for the mould-sections and core, it is important to employ a substance or compound which will adhere firmly to the surfaces of the mould to which it is applied, and which willlnot expand or contract very much; also, to employ a substance or compound which will not melt and form a slag, whensuhjected to the intense heat of the melted metal. l

The following method of` preparing the mould-sections is found to be best adapted tothe end in view:

f The metallic portions of these sections are applied upon suitable patterns, and `sharp mouldingsand This sand is prepared by'mixing with it rye meal and molasses, say about fifteen parts of the sand to one part of a mixture of' ryev meal and molasses. The mould-sections are then put into an oven, and baked for about twelve hours, after which they are taken out, and their sand-surfaces coated, while hot, with a solution composed of about one part of plumbago to three partsof fire-clay, made thin by adding beer to them. After coating the sand-surfaces of the mould repeatedly, and drying each coating, the surfaces are smoothed. Ihe last coating given to the surfaces of the mould-sections should be very thick, so that it will fill up the pores in the sand, and leave vsolid and smooth surfaces, which will not adhere to the casting.

The operation of producing-a compressed or condensed metal locomotive driving-wheel is as follows:

The mould-sections having been prepared, as shown in t-he drawings andabove described, the two sections, K L, are properly adjusted in place upon the bed A ot' the press, so that their axes exactly coincide with the vertical-axis of the follower I. Suitable guides or stops may be affixed to the ltop of the bed A, by which the proper position for the mould upon this bed can be readily found. The .upper section J of the The cord H', having been coated as above described,

is then brought down through the holes which are madev through the centres of the follower I and 'mouldvsections J K, as shown in fig. 1, andv held in'this position by the application of pressure to the piston G, above the piston.

The follower I, kwith its mould-section attached, is then depressed, and the mouldsection is brought within the section K, and held at the proper point for commencing pressure upon the metal after the mouldchamber is filled.

The ingate e being opened, the melted metal is poured into vthe mould-chamber, and this chamber filled, which' will. be ascertained by the ingat'e overflowing, when the pouring is ceased, and slide d forced over the ingate. Pressure is then immediately applied to the piston E, and ycontinued until the metal in .the mould sets, or becomes hard. When the metal has cooled sufficiently, the core H and upper section J of' the mould are raised, to allow the wheel toshrink fi'eely and cool quickly.

It will be found, upon removing the wheel from the mould, that the shrinkage which has taken place has broken away the substance g, forming the upper sur facef'of the bottom mould-section, which substance, therefore, yields, and allows .the metal to contract, without liability of its cracking. For this reason, I prefer to form the interior of the three mould-seetions of a refractory compound, substantially as above described. Such compound will also protect the metal parts of the mould, and thus allow of their being used repeatedly. y

I do not desire to be understood as making a broad claim under this patent to a condensed metal wheel, as such a wheel hasbeen secured to me by Letters Patent of the lUnited States, numbered, respectively, 70,482 and 79,611. I have succeeded in practically producing a condensed metal driving-wheel for looomotive-engines, consisting of' a tread, a balance, a web or spokes, a hub, and a crank. The wheels thus.y produced are free from pores or serious imperfections 'of any kind, and the metal ishomogeneous in density and tenacity throughout, which results are obtained by the application of great pressure to the metal while it is in the mould, in a liquid or semiliquid state, at the same time providing for the escape .metal used.

`Having described one practical mode of producing a condensed-metal car-wheel,

What I claim as new, and ters Patent, is

1. A cast-metal locomotive driving-wheel, consisting of a tread,' a web or 'spokesl a balance, and a hub, when such wheel has been condensed by high pressure, whilein a molten state, after it has received its general `final shape, substantially as described.

2. A cast-metal locomotive driving-wheel, consist-` ing of a tread, a web or spokes, a hub and a crank, when such wheel has been condensed by high pressure, while in a molten state, after it has received its general final shape, substantiallyas described.

3. A cast-metal locomotive driving-wheel, consisting of a tread, a balance, a web or lspokes, a hub, and a crank, when such wheel has been condensed by high pressure, while in a molten state, ,after it'has received its general filial shape, substantiallyr as described.

Witnesses: JOHN BLAKE TARE.

- JOHNS. HoLLINGsHnAD, l v

Tnos. L. IBAYLIES.

desire to secure by Let- 

